Magpie Monday Back to Basics

As you all know, I'm thrilled each week when people visit and link up to Magpie Monday.

A couple of things came up this week which have made me think about the whole feature, and I felt I should write this little post.

Firstly, Kate suggested we could have a theme next Monday, and it being Comic Relief time, the theme could be 'something that makes you laugh'.  Now, I'm all for a focus and the idea was met with approval on Twitter, although it has now morphed slightly into 'something that makes you laugh or smile' or 'something red'!

Then I got a bit worried.  I saw a few comments that people didn't want to link up because they felt their 2nd-hand finds weren't 'good enough' or they hadn't managed to find anything this week.

Now, I don't want to get all draconian about this but I am slightly worried I've created a monster!

Here's my nightmare scenario - people are going out each week on a frantic charity shopping spree, buying up anything and everything that they think people would like to see.  Angry partners are hunting me down, because their homes are now full of toot they don't like and don't want.  Babies are going hungry because people are spending their family allowance on chintz plates. People start buying dodgy Jimmy Carr DVDs in order to fit the theme...I wake up sweat-soaked and panicky. You get my drift?

My Magpie Monday concept was originally anti-commercialism.  It was about encouraging people to think differently about how they shopped. To realise that you can decorate your home/clothe your children/stock your bookshelves without buying new and using up resources and raw materials.  It was about recycling and re-using.

William Morris famously said:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful

I would be lying if I said I followed his mantra.  I am a shopaholic.  However, that doesn't mean I should encourage others to be the same.

I hate the thought that people feel they can't join in because their finds aren't good enough. It's not a competition. I'm equally happy if someone has found a book they need, or a new toy their kid will enjoy, as if someone has found the perfect vintage dinner service. If you want to share something you found in a skip last year, that's fabulous, or something you got from Freecycle last month then you're very welcome.

I want Magpie Monday to thrive and grow, I want people to feel they can dip in and out week by week, with no pressure. I want you to be proud that you've obtained something second-hand rather than new - whatever it may be.

I will run the 'Comic Relief' theme this week but it is absolutely not mandatory.  If you want to post something that doesn't fit the theme, then I'll still love you!

I'd love to hear what others think on this, so over to you, my marvelous magpies x